Molding support device and molding support system

Abstract

To increase the likelihood of providing workers with the advice they are likely to need. [Solution] A molding support device comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires the operation status of the operation currently being performed by an operator on the device; and an output unit that outputs advice information that provides advice according to the operation status acquired by the acquisition unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0005]

[0001] The present invention relates to a molding support device and a molding support system.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a method of displaying a setting screen. In this display method, a predetermined setting screen is formed on a display unit based on an operation of an operation unit by an operator. Further, in this display method, when a predetermined setting item of molding conditions is selected by the operator and a confirmation operation element is pressed, a guidance screen is formed in a part of the area of the setting screen corresponding to the setting item. Furthermore, in this display method, guidance information is read from a recording unit and displayed on the guidance screen.

[0003] Patent Document 2 describes a method of setting molding conditions for an injection molding machine. In this method of setting molding conditions, reference pellet data for one or two or more pellet data different depending on the usage time related to the same type of pellet is set in advance. Further, in this method of setting molding conditions, when using the same type of pellet, the used pellet data is collected. Furthermore, in this method of setting molding conditions, the used pellet data and the reference pellet data are compared, and the molding conditions are corrected based on the comparison result data obtained from this comparison.

[0004] Patent Document 3 describes a method of supporting the setting of an injection molding machine. As a basic concept of this method of supporting setting, first, it is described that resin material data Dr related to the resin decomposition rate Sx with respect to the temperature Ht corresponding to the type of resin material is set in advance in a database in a molding machine controller.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0006] For example, in a system where the same advice is given to all workers, some workers will not receive the advice they need, while others will not receive sufficient advice. In other words, a system that gives the same advice to all workers fails to increase the likelihood of providing workers with the advice they are likely to need.

[0007] The objective of this invention is to increase the likelihood of providing workers with the advice they are likely seeking. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To this end, the present invention provides a molding support device comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires the operation status of the operation currently being performed by an operator on the device; and an output unit that outputs advice information that provides advice according to the operation status acquired by the acquisition unit.

[0009] The operational status may include both the status related to the procedure of the operation and the status related to the time of the operation.

[0010] The situation regarding the procedure of an operation may include situations where a specific operation is performed repeatedly, and situations where a specific operation and a specific operation are performed in the wrong order.

[0011] The output unit may output advice information regarding operations other than the specific operation when the situation regarding the operation procedure involves repeatedly performing a specific operation. In that case, if the specific operation is an operation to change the setting value of a specific setting item, the advice information may be information regarding the existence of other setting items other than the specific setting item. Also, if the specific operation is an operation to change the setting value of a specific setting item, the advice information may be information regarding the effect of changing the setting value of other setting items other than the specific setting item.

[0012] The circumstances relating to the time required for an operation may include situations where the time required for or that has been required for a particular operation exceeds a certain standard, and situations where the time required between two particular operations exceeds a certain standard.

[0013] The output unit may output advice information regarding deficiencies in a particular operation when the time taken for that operation exceeds a certain threshold. In this case, if the particular operation is one in which a setting value is set for a particular setting item, the advice information may be about errors in the procedure for setting the setting value for that particular setting item, or information about any excess or deficiency of setting items in that particular setting item.

[0014] The output unit may output advice information that adds value to the operator when the operation situation is neither one in which a specific operation is being repeatedly performed nor one in which the time required for a specific operation exceeds a certain standard. In this case, the advice information may be information about functions that the operator is not using, or about operations that the operator has performed that were effective.

[0015] Specific operations may include operations that change the setting value of a specific setting item, setup work or work that constitutes setup work, and work performed between molding cycles in the event of defective products.

[0016] The output unit may output advice information for eliminating confusion when the operation status is a situation where it is presumed that the operator is confused.

[0017] The acquisition unit may further acquire the operation content of the operation that the operator is currently performing on the own device, and the output unit may output advice information that further gives advice according to the operation content acquired by the acquisition unit. In that case, the output unit may output advice information for the operation content or the currently occurring phenomenon estimated from the operation content.

[0018] The present invention also provides a molding support device including an acquisition unit that acquires advice information for giving advice according to the operation status of the operation that the operator is currently performing on the own device, and an output unit that outputs the advice information acquired by the acquisition unit.

[0019] Furthermore, the present invention provides a molding support system including an acquisition unit that acquires the operation status of the operation that the operator is currently performing on the own device, and an output unit that outputs advice information for giving advice according to the operation status acquired by the acquisition unit.

Advantages of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, the possibility of giving advice that is considered to be requested by the operator to the operator is increased.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021] [Figure 1] It is a diagram showing the configuration of an injection molding machine to which this embodiment is applied. [Figure 2] It is a diagram showing the configuration of a control device. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing the configuration of a data processing device. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing the configuration of an information providing device. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a computer that realizes a control device, a data processing device, and an information providing device. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing an example of the flow of information provision processing performed by the information provision device. [Figure 7] (a) and (b) are diagrams showing the screens displayed on the display device. [Figure 8] (a) and (b) are diagrams showing the screens displayed on the display device. [Figure 9] (a) and (b) are diagrams showing the screens displayed on the display device.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. <Device Configuration> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an injection molding machine 10 to which the present embodiment is applied. The injection molding machine 10 includes an injection device 20, a mold clamping device 30, a control device 100, a data processing device 200, a display device 300, and an information provision device 400. In the following description, the direction from the injection device 20 toward the mold clamping device 30 may be referred to as the front. The injection molding machine 10 is an example of a molding machine.

[0023] The injection device 20 includes a cylinder for heating a molding material, a screw that is rotatable within this cylinder and is provided so as to be able to advance and retreat in the axial direction, a rotary motor for driving this screw in the rotational direction, a motor for driving this screw in the axial direction, and the like. The molding material is, for example, resin or the like. The injection device 20 injects the molding material heated and liquefied in the cylinder by advancing forward while rotating the screw, and fills it into the mold of the mold clamping device 30 arranged in front of the injection device 20. The injection device 20 performs, for example, a metering process, a filling process, a pressure holding process, etc. in the manufacturing process of the molded product. The filling process and the pressure holding process are also collectively referred to as the injection process.

[0024] The mold clamping device 30 comprises a mold, a clamping mechanism for clamping the mold, and a motor for driving the clamping mechanism. The mold clamping device 30 closes the mold and receives the molding material injected from the injection device 20 into the mold. At this time, the mold clamping device 30 clamps the mold with the clamping mechanism to prevent the mold from opening as the molding material fills it (mold clamping). A molded product is produced when the molding material filled into the mold solidifies. After this, the mold clamping device 30 opens the mold and sends out the produced molded product. In the manufacturing process of a molded product, the mold clamping device 30 performs, for example, a mold closing process, a pressurization process, a mold clamping process, a depressurization process, and a mold opening process.

[0025] The control device 100 is a device that controls the operation of the injection device 20 and the clamping device 30. The data processing device 200 is a device that processes data obtained as the injection device 20 and the clamping device 30 operate. The display device 300 displays information related to the control of the injection device 20 and the clamping device 30 by the control device 100, data acquired by the data processing device 200, and the processing results of the data processing device 200. The display device 300 also displays an operation screen for inputting commands and data to the control device 100 and the data processing device 200. The display device 300 also displays advice information provided to the user. The information providing device 400 is a device that determines advice information to be provided to the user of the injection molding machine 10 and displays it on the display device 300. The advice information may also be displayed on a display screen other than the display device 300. Other display screens include the display screens of terminal devices such as PCs, smartphones, and tablets connected to the injection molding machine 10 via a communication line. The information providing device 400 is an example of a molding support device.

[0026] <Configuration of control device 100> Figure 2 shows the configuration of the control device 100. The control device 100 controls the operation of the injection device 20 and the clamping device 30. The control device 100 is implemented, for example, by a computer. The control device 100 comprises a control information acquisition unit 110, a control unit 120, and a storage unit 130. The control device 100 controls the injection device 20 and the clamping device 30 to repeatedly manufacture molded products by repeatedly performing the processes related to the manufacture of molded products. The processes related to the manufacture of molded products include a metering process, a mold closing process, a pressurizing process, a mold clamping process, a filling process, a holding pressure process, a cooling process, a depressurizing process, a mold opening process, and an ejection process. Hereinafter, these manufacturing processes may be collectively referred to as the "manufacturing process." Also, a series of operations to obtain a molded product, for example, the operations from the start of one metering process to the start of the next metering process in the above manufacturing process, may be referred to as a "shot," "molding cycle," etc. Note that the above processes for manufacturing molded products are merely examples. For example, other processes not included above may be included as processes performed in one shot.

[0027] The control information acquisition unit 110 acquires control information used to control the injection device 20 and the clamping device 30. The control information consists of user-set conditions, which are input by the user using, for example, an input device (not shown). The control information includes molding conditions such as resin temperature, mold temperature (cylinder temperature), injection holding pressure time, metering value, VP switching position, holding pressure, injection speed (filling speed), screw rotation speed, screw back pressure, and clamping force. Multiple combinations of these molding conditions are determined depending on the molded product and mold. This combination data of molding conditions will be referred to as the molding condition dataset below. The control information acquisition unit 110 stores the acquired control information as the molding condition dataset in the storage unit 130.

[0028] The control unit 120 controls the injection unit 20 and the clamping unit 30 using the above-mentioned molding condition dataset, and carries out the processes related to the manufacture (shot) of molded products, including the above-mentioned steps. At the start of manufacturing a molded product, the control unit 120 reads the molding condition dataset corresponding to the molded product to be manufactured from the storage unit 130. Then, the control unit 120 controls the operation of the injection unit 20 and the clamping unit 30 based on the control information read. Specifically, the control unit 120 controls the injection unit 20 and the clamping unit 30 so that the data obtained from the injection unit 20 and the clamping unit 30 during the manufacturing process matches the set values ​​in the molding condition dataset. The control unit 120 may also display the molding condition dataset read from the storage unit 130 on the display device 300. The user may refer to the molding condition data displayed on the display device 300 and perform operations such as correcting the values ​​as necessary.

[0029] The memory unit 130 holds the control information 131 acquired by the control information acquisition unit 110. The molding condition data set included in the control information 131 is prepared in association with the molded product and mold to be manufactured. The memory unit 130 holds the molding condition data set for each molded product and mold to be manufactured. Although not shown in the figures, the memory unit 130 also holds the program for the control unit 120 to control the injection device 20 and the clamping device 30. As will be described in more detail later, the control device 100 enables the function of the control unit 120 by having the processor read and execute the program held in the memory unit 130.

[0030] <Configuration of data processing device 200> Figure 3 shows the configuration of the data processing device 200. The data processing device 200 acquires and processes data obtained as the injection device 20 and the clamping device 30 perform operations in the process of manufacturing the molded product described above. The data processing device 200 is implemented, for example, by a computer. The data processing device 200 comprises an acquisition unit 210, a processing unit 220, a storage unit 230, and a display control unit 240.

[0031] The acquisition unit 210 acquires data to be processed from the injection unit 20 and the clamping unit 30. Various sensors and detectors are attached to the injection unit 20 and the clamping unit 30. The data acquired by these sensors and detectors (hereinafter referred to as "acquired data") is information representing the molding results by the injection unit 20 and the clamping unit 30, and is used for quality control of molded products. Specifically, it includes, for example, the weight of the molded product, the dimensions of the molded product, the in-mold pressure, the minimum cushion position, and characteristic waveforms of the filling pressure. This acquired data is actual values ​​obtained in the manufacturing process of molded products. The acquisition unit 210 receives the acquired data transmitted from the sensors and detectors and stores it in the storage unit 230.

[0032] The processing unit 220 processes the acquired data stored in the storage unit 230. Specifically, the processing unit 220 extracts representative values ​​from the acquired data in each process and generates time-series data by serializing the acquired data in each process. In extracting representative values, the processing unit 220 performs statistical processing on the acquired data, such as calculating the average value, identifying the range of values, and identifying the maximum and minimum values.

[0033] The storage unit 230 stores representative values, time-series data, statistical data, etc., processed by the processing unit 220. These data are associated with the original acquired data, for example. Specifically, these data may be stored in the data file of the corresponding original acquired data. Alternatively, the data file containing these data may be associated with the data file of the original data. In this way, each data generated by the processing unit 220 is also stored in association with the molded product or mold that was manufactured in the shot from which the original acquired data was obtained. The data format of the data file stored in the storage unit 230 may include, for example, CSV (Comma Separated Values), XML (Extensible Markup Language), JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), etc.

[0034] Although not shown in the diagram, the storage unit 230 also holds a program for the processing unit 220 to perform data processing. As will be explained in more detail later, the processing unit 220's functions are realized when the processor in the data processing device 200 reads and executes the program held in the storage unit 230.

[0035] The display control unit 240 displays acquired data and data resulting from processing by the processing unit 220 on the display device 300. The data to be displayed includes setting information in the control information used by the control device 100 to control the injection device 20 and the clamping device 30. The setting information (setting values) can be acquired from the control device 100. The display control unit 240 acquires this data from the storage unit 230 and the storage unit 130 of the control device 100 and displays it on the display device 300.

[0036] <Configuration of Information Provisioning Device 400> Figure 4 shows the configuration of the information providing device 400. The information providing device 400 comprises an operation reception unit 410, a determination unit 420, and a display control unit 430.

[0037] The operation reception unit 410 receives operations for the control device 100 on the operation screen displayed on the display device 300. Herein, operations for the control device 100 refer to operations performed by the user (molding operator) on the control device 100 in order to perform molding work using the injection device 20 and the clamping device 30. Hereinafter, "molding work" will be simply referred to as "work," and "molding operator" will be simply referred to as "operator."

[0038] The determination unit 420 determines the operation status of the operation received by the operation reception unit 410. In this case, the determination unit 420 is an example of an acquisition unit that acquires the operation status of the operation that the operator is currently performing on the device.

[0039] Operational status includes both the status related to the procedure of the operation and the status related to the time of the operation. One situation related to the procedure of an operation is when an operator is repeating the same operation. In other words, this situation is when an operator is performing the same operation more times than expected. The same operation is, for example, an operation to repeatedly change the setting value of the same setting item. The operation to repeatedly change the setting value of the same setting item may be an operation to repeatedly change the setting value of a single setting item. Alternatively, the operation to repeatedly change the setting value of the same setting item may be an operation to repeatedly change the setting values ​​across multiple setting items. In this case, the determination unit 420 is an example of an acquisition unit that acquires the operation status of an operation in which a specific operation is being repeated. The determination unit 420 is also an example of an acquisition unit that acquires the operation status of an operation in which the setting value of a specific setting item is being changed repeatedly. Furthermore, regarding the operating procedure, there are situations where the order of operations is incorrect.

[0040] Regarding the time required for an operation, there is also a situation where the time an operator spends on the same operation exceeds a certain standard. In other words, this situation means that the operator is performing the same operation for longer than the expected time. The same operation could be, for example, an operation to set values ​​for several setting items. In this case, the determination unit 420 is an example of an acquisition unit that acquires an operation situation in which the time spent on a particular operation exceeds a certain standard. The determination unit 420 is also an example of an acquisition unit that acquires an operation situation in which the time spent on an operation to set a setting value for a particular setting item exceeds a certain standard. Furthermore, regarding the time required for operations, there are situations where the time taken between specific operations exceeds a certain threshold.

[0041] One operational situation is one in which the worker does not repeat the same operation, nor does the time required for the same operation exceed a certain standard. In other words, this situation means that the worker does not perform the same operation more times than expected, nor does the worker perform the same operation for more time than expected. In this case, the determination unit 420 is an example of an acquisition unit that acquires operational situations in which a particular operation is not repeated and the time required for a particular operation does not exceed a certain standard.

[0042] Furthermore, the determination unit 420 determines the content of the operation received by the operation reception unit 410. In this case, the determination unit 420 is an example of an acquisition unit that further acquires the content of the operation that the operator is currently performing on the device.

[0043] The display control unit 430 displays advice information on the display device 300, which provides advice according to the operation status determined by the determination unit 420 for the operation received by the operation reception unit 410. In this way, the display control unit 430 informs the operator of the advice information. The display control unit 430 is an example of an output unit that outputs advice information that provides advice according to the operation status acquired by the acquisition unit.

[0044] Here, the advice information includes advice for when an operator is repeating the same operation. The same operation refers to, for example, repeatedly changing the setting value of the same setting item. Repeatedly changing the setting value of the same setting item may be an operation to repeatedly change the setting value of a single setting item. Alternatively, repeatedly changing the setting value of the same setting item may be an operation to repeatedly change the setting values ​​across multiple setting items.

[0045] In such cases, the advice information includes advice on whether other operations have been forgotten. This advice includes, for example, advice on whether other setting items have been forgotten. For example, suppose a molded product has sink marks, and the operator is trying to improve the defect by changing the holding pressure. Suppose that increasing the holding pressure causes burrs to form, so the operator is raising and lowering the holding pressure setting. In such a situation, the display control unit 430 will advise the operator to also pay attention to other setting items that have been changed so far and affect the sink marks. Such setting items include, for example, holding time, cooling time, mold temperature, cylinder temperature, etc. In this case, the display control unit 430 is an example of an output unit that outputs advice information regarding operations other than the specific operation when the operation status is a situation in which a specific operation is being repeated. The display control unit 430 is also an example of an output unit that outputs advice information regarding the existence of other setting items other than the specific setting item when the operation status is a situation in which the setting value of a specific setting item is being changed repeatedly.

[0046] In such cases, the advice information may also include advice on the effects that may arise from other operations. This advice information may include, for example, advice on the effects that may arise from changing the setting values ​​of other setting items. For example, suppose a molded product has sink marks, and the operator is trying to improve the defect by changing the clamping force. In such a situation, the display control unit 430 will provide advice on the setting items, the method of changing them, and the results. Examples of setting items, methods of changing them, and their results may include, "Increasing the holding time will improve the sink marks," "Shorter holding time will worsen the sink marks," and "Clamping force has little influence on sink marks." In this case, the display control unit 430 is an example of an output unit that outputs advice information on operations other than a specific operation when the operation situation involves repeatedly performing a specific operation. The display control unit 430 is also an example of an output unit that outputs advice information on the effects of changing the setting values ​​of other setting items when the operation situation involves repeatedly changing the setting values ​​of a specific setting item.

[0047] The advice information also includes advice for situations where the time an operator spends on the same operation exceeds a certain limit. The same operation could be, for example, setting values ​​for several configuration items.

[0048] In such cases, the advice information includes advice on whether there are any deficiencies in the operation. This advice includes, for example, advice on whether the setting procedure is correct or whether there are any excesses or deficiencies in the setting items. For example, suppose an operator takes a long time to recover from a minor stoppage and is performing the operation for longer than the expected time. In such a situation, the display control unit 430 provides advice to the user to make them aware that the recovery is taking a long time. The information provided as such awareness may include, for example, a flowchart to check if there are any errors in the recovery procedure, completed actions, unoperated items, and excess setting items. In this case, the display control unit 430 is an example of an output unit that outputs advice information regarding deficiencies in a specific operation when the operation status indicates that the time required for a particular operation exceeds a standard. The display control unit 430 is also an example of an output unit that outputs advice information regarding errors in the setting procedure for a specific setting item or regarding excesses or deficiencies in setting items when the operation status indicates that the time required for setting a setting value for a specific setting item exceeds a standard.

[0049] The advice also includes information for situations where the worker does not repeat the same operation and the time required for the worker to perform the same operation does not exceed the standard. In such cases, the advice information includes advice that adds value to the worker. Advice that adds value to the worker is, for example, advice on how to operate functions that lead to high added value and their effects. For example, suppose a molded product has sink marks, and the worker (assuming a high skill level) improves the sink marks by extending the holding pressure time. In this situation, the display control unit 430 makes suggestions that lead to high added value, such as energy-saving molding through energy-saving holding pressure. Alternatively, the display control unit 430 makes suggestions that lead to high added value, such as "Turning on energy-saving holding pressure can reduce the power consumption per shot." Furthermore, advice information that adds value to the worker is, for example, advice on operations that were effective among the operations performed by the worker. For example, suppose a worker (assuming a high skill level) completes recovery from a short stop in a short time. In this situation, the display control unit 430 makes suggestions that can further enhance knowledge, such as presenting pages or items that were highly effective in prior information gathering. In this case, the display control unit 430 is an example of an output unit that outputs advice information that adds value to the operator when the operation status is neither a situation in which a specific operation is being repeatedly performed nor a situation in which the time required for a specific operation exceeds a standard. The display control unit 430 is also an example of an output unit that outputs advice information regarding functions that the operator is not using, or operations that were effective among the operations performed by the operator, when the operation status is neither a situation in which a specific operation is being repeatedly performed nor a situation in which the time required for a specific operation exceeds a standard.

[0050] The display control unit 430 also displays advice information on the display device 300, which provides advice based on the operation content determined by the judgment unit 420 for the operation received by the operation reception unit 410. In this way, the display control unit 430 informs the operator of the advice information. The presentation of pages or items that were highly effective in the prior information collection described above is one such piece of advice information. The display control unit 430 may also provide advice on the operator's operation content as advice information. Alternatively, the display control unit 430 may estimate the phenomenon occurring from the operator's operation content and provide advice on that phenomenon as advice information. The estimation of the phenomenon occurring may be performed using AI (Artificial Intelligence) or a rule-based method. In this case, the display control unit 430 is an example of an output unit that outputs advice information that provides further advice based on the operation content acquired by the acquisition unit. The display control unit 430 is also an example of an output unit that outputs advice information on the operation content or the currently occurring phenomenon estimated from the operation content.

[0051] <Hardware configuration of the computer that implements the control device 100, data processing device 200, and information providing device 400> Figure 5 shows an example of the hardware configuration of a computer 500 that implements a control device 100, a data processing device 200, and an information providing device 400. The computer 500 shown in Figure 5 comprises a processor 501, which is an arithmetic means, and a main memory 502 and an auxiliary memory 503, which are storage means. Various arithmetic circuits such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), and FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) can be used as the processor 501. The processor 501 reads programs stored in the auxiliary memory 503 into the main memory 502 and executes them. For example, RAM (Random Access Memory) can be used as the main memory 502. For example, a magnetic disk drive or SSD (Solid State Drive) can be used as the auxiliary memory 503.

[0052] Furthermore, the computer 500 includes a display device (display) 504 and an input device 505 on which the user performs input operations. For example, a keyboard or mouse can be used as the input device 505. Alternatively, a touch panel integrated with the display device 504 may be used as the input device 505. The display device 504 may be implemented using the display device 300 shown in Figure 1. Note that the configuration of the computer 500 shown in Figure 5 is merely an example, and the computer 500 used in this embodiment is not limited to the configuration shown in Figure 5. For example, it may be configured to include non-volatile memory such as flash memory or ROM (Read Only Memory) as a storage device.

[0053] When the control device 100 is implemented by the computer shown in Figure 5, the control information acquisition unit 110 is implemented, for example, by a processor 501 that reads and executes a program and an input device 505. The functions of the control unit 120 are implemented, for example, by the processor 501 reading and executing a program. The storage unit 130 is implemented, for example, by an auxiliary storage device 503.

[0054] When the data processing device 200 is implemented by the computer shown in Figure 5, the functions of the acquisition unit 210 and the processing unit 220 are implemented, for example, by the processor 501 reading and executing a program. The storage unit 230 is implemented, for example, by the auxiliary storage device 503. The display control unit 240 is implemented by the processor 501 which reads and executes a program.

[0055] When the information providing device 400 is implemented by the computer 500 shown in Figure 5, the functions of the operation reception unit 410 and the determination unit 420 are implemented, for example, by the processor 501 reading and executing a program. The display control unit 430 is implemented by the processor 501 reading and executing a program.

[0056] <Information provision processing> Figure 6 shows an example of the flow of information provision processing performed by the information provision device 400.

[0057] In Figure 6, first, the operation reception unit 410 receives the operator's operation (step 601). Specifically, the operation reception unit 410 receives the operator's operation in response to the operator's operation on the operation screen displayed on the display device 300. Here, the operation of setting a setting value for a setting item will be used as an example to explain the process.

[0058] Next, the determination unit 420 determines whether the operation status of the operation received in step 601 is the repeated modification of the setting value of the same setting item (step 602). Here, the same setting item may be one setting item or multiple setting items.

[0059] Step 602 describes the case where it is determined that the operator is repeatedly changing the setting value of the same setting item. In that case, the display control unit 430 first advises the operator about the existence of other setting items (step 603). Specifically, the display control unit 430 displays advice information on the display device 300 to advise the operator whether they have forgotten about other setting items. Figure 7(a) shows the screen 701 displayed on the display device 300 in this case. On screen 701, the setting items that should be tried to change when sink marks occur in the product are shown as "holding pressure time", "cooling time", "mold temperature", and "cylinder temperature".

[0060] Next, the display control unit 430 determines whether or not any of the setting items displayed in step 603 have been selected (step 604). Specifically, the display control unit 430 determines whether or not the operator selected any of the setting items on the screen displayed on the display device 300 in step 603.

[0061] If it is determined in step 604 that any setting item has been selected, the display control unit 430 advises on the effect of changing the setting value of the selected setting item (step 605). Specifically, the display control unit 430 displays advice information on the display device 300 that advises on how to change the selected setting item and the results thereof. Figure 7(b) shows the screen 702 that is displayed on the display device 300 in this case. Screen 702 is the screen that is displayed when the setting item "holding time" is selected on screen 701. Screen 702 shows that as an effect of changing the setting value of the selected setting item "holding time", extending the holding time will improve the shrinkage. After that, the information providing device 400 terminates processing.

[0062] If it is determined in step 604 that no setting item has been selected, the information providing device 400 terminates the process without providing advice on the effect of the setting value of the setting item.

[0063] On the other hand, the case where it is not determined in step 602 that the operator is repeatedly changing the setting value of the same setting item will be explained. In that case, the determination unit 420 determines, as the operation status of the operation received in step 601, whether or not the time required by the operator for the same operation exceeds the standard (step 606).

[0064] This section describes the case where step 606 determines that the time required for the operator to perform the same operation exceeds the standard. In this case, the display control unit 430 first advises on the phase of the setting procedure (step 607). Specifically, the display control unit 430 displays advice information on the display device 300 advising whether the phase of the setting procedure is correct. The display control unit 430 may also advise on whether there are any excesses or deficiencies in the setting items, but here we will explain using the case where it advises on the phase of the setting procedure as an example. Figure 8(a) shows the screen 801 displayed on the display device 300 in this case. On screen 801, the phases of the setting procedure are shown as "Purge", "Weighing", "Nozzle Touch", "Flow Front On", "Semi-Automatic Molding", "Flow Front Off", and "Fully Automatic Molding". At that time, the phase "Flow Front Off" is shown to contain errors by being differentiated from the other phases as shown by diagonal hatching.

[0065] Next, the display control unit 430 determines whether or not one of the phases displayed in step 607 has been selected (step 608). Specifically, the display control unit 430 determines whether or not the operator has selected one of the phases on the screen displayed on the display device 300 in step 607.

[0066] If it is determined in step 608 that any phase has been selected, the display control unit 430 provides advice on the error in the selected phase (step 609). Specifically, the display control unit 430 displays advice information on the display device 300 that advises on the error situation in the selected phase. Figure 8(b) shows the screen 802 that is displayed on the display device 300 in this case. Screen 802 is displayed when the phase "Flow Front Off" which contains an error is selected on screen 801. Screen 802 shows that the error in the selected phase "Flow Front Off" is that the flow front setting is still entered during molding. After that, the information providing device 400 terminates processing.

[0067] If it is determined in step 608 that no phase has been selected, the information provider 400 terminates the process without providing advice about the phase error.

[0068] On the other hand, we will now explain the case where it is determined in step 606 that the time required for the worker to perform the same operation does not exceed the standard. In that case, first, the display control unit 430 advises the worker on functions that add value (step 610). Specifically, the display control unit 430 displays advice information on the display device 300 that advises the worker on functions that lead to high added value. The display control unit 430 may also advise the worker on operations that were performed effectively, but here we will explain using the case where it advises on functions that add value to the worker as an example. Figure 9(a) shows the screen 901 displayed on the display device 300 in this case. On screen 901, "energy-saving holding pressure," "FFC (flow front control)," and "lock-up type tightening" are shown as functions that add value to the worker.

[0069] Next, the display control unit 430 determines whether or not one of the functions displayed in step 610 has been selected (step 611). Specifically, the display control unit 430 determines whether or not the operator has selected one of the functions on the screen displayed on the display device 300 in step 610.

[0070] If it is determined in step 611 that any function has been selected, the display control unit 430 provides advice on how to operate the selected function and its effects (step 612). Specifically, the display control unit 430 displays advice information on the display device 300 that advises on how to operate the selected function and its effects. Figure 9(b) shows the screen 902 that is displayed on the display device 300 in this case. Screen 902 is displayed when the function "energy-saving pressure holding" is selected on screen 901. Screen 902 shows that the power consumption during molding is reduced by turning on the energy-saving pressure holding button as the operation method and effect of the selected function "energy-saving pressure holding". After that, the information providing device 400 terminates processing.

[0071] If it is determined in step 611 that no function has been selected, the information provider 400 terminates the process without providing advice on how to operate the function or its effects.

[0072] In Figure 6, the determination unit 420 determines the operation status of the operator's actions, and the display control unit 430 displays advice information according to the operation status. However, this is not the only configuration. The determination unit 420 may determine the content of the operator's actions, and the display control unit 430 may display advice information according to the content of the actions.

[0073] <Summary> In this embodiment, the injection molding machine 10 provides advice that the operator is likely seeking by monitoring the operations currently being performed by the operator. This is expected to improve the efficiency of operations using the molding machine. Furthermore, in this embodiment, depending on the operator's operation status or operation content, suggestions that lead to higher added value are made. This is expected to lead to an improvement in the product value from the operator's perspective. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the injection molding machine 10 provides advice that the worker is likely to need, without calculating or managing the worker's skill level. This makes it possible to change the advice based on the current operation, even without knowing who the worker is or what their skill level is.

[0074] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above.

[0075] For example, in the above embodiment, when the worker is repeatedly performing a specific operation, advice information appropriate to that situation is displayed. Also, when the time required for a specific operation exceeds a certain standard, advice information appropriate to that situation is displayed. However, these can also be understood as advice information displayed to resolve confusion when the worker's operation suggests that the worker is unsure of what to do.

[0076] Furthermore, while the above embodiment described an operation that changes the setting value of a specific setting item, it is not limited to this. A specific operation may include tasks such as setup work. Alternatively, a specific operation may include tasks that are subdivisions of setup work, such as mold installation and purging. Certain operations may include tasks performed between molding cycles if defective products are found. Repeating the process from one operation to the next (checking whether or not defects occur after the operation) may indicate a lack of skill, and taking too long may also indicate a lack of skill.

[0077] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, all functions of the information providing device 400 were realized by devices within the injection molding machine 10, but this is not limited to this.

[0078] For example, some functions of the information provision device 400 may be implemented by a terminal device such as a PC, smartphone, or tablet connected to the injection molding machine 10 via a communication line. Specifically, the functions of the operation reception unit 410, the determination unit 420, and the display control unit 430 that determine the advice information may be implemented by devices within the injection molding machine 10. The function of the display control unit 430 that displays the advice information may be implemented by the terminal device. In this configuration, a function to transmit the advice information to the terminal device will be provided in the devices within the injection molding machine 10. Also, a function to receive the advice information from the devices within the injection molding machine 10 will be provided in the terminal device. In this case, the function of the devices within the injection molding machine 10 that transmits the advice information is an example of an output unit that outputs the advice information. The function of the terminal device that receives the advice information is an example of an acquisition unit that acquires the advice information. The function of the terminal device that displays the advice information is an example of an output unit that outputs the advice information.

[0079] Furthermore, the functions of the information providing device 400 may be implemented in a distributed manner across multiple devices. These multiple devices include devices within the injection molding machine 10, terminal devices, and a server computer. In this case, any of the devices may implement any of the functions. For example, the multiple devices may perform the following processing: First, a device within the injection molding machine 10 determines the operator's operating status. In this case, this function of the device within the injection molding machine 10 is an example of an acquisition unit that acquires the operating status. Next, the device within the injection molding machine 10 transmits the operating status to the server computer. Next, the server computer receives the operating status. In this case, this function of the server computer is also an example of an acquisition unit that acquires the operating status. Next, the server computer determines advice information that provides advice according to the operating status. Next, the server computer transmits the advice information to the terminal device. In this case, the server computer's function to transmit the advice information is an example of an output unit that outputs the advice information. Next, the terminal device receives the advice information. Finally, the terminal device displays the advice information on a display screen. In this case, the terminal device's function to display the advice information is also an example of an output unit that outputs the advice information.

[0080] Furthermore, although the above embodiment was applied to operations in the injection molding machine 10, it is not limited to this. The above embodiment may also be applied to operations in peripheral equipment other than the injection molding machine 10. Examples of peripheral equipment include temperature controllers, resin dryers, crushers, and extraction machines. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0081] 10…Injection molding machine, 20…Injection device, 30…Clamping device, 100…Control device, 110…Control information acquisition unit, 120…Control unit, 130…Storage unit, 200…Data processing device, 210…Acquisition unit, 220…Processing unit, 230…Storage unit, 240, 430…Display control unit, 300…Display device, 400…Information providing device, 410…Operation reception unit, 420…Determination unit

Claims

1. An acquisition unit that acquires the operation status of the operation currently being performed by the operator on the device, An output unit outputs advice information that provides advice according to the operation status acquired by the acquisition unit, A molding support device equipped with the following features.

2. The molding support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the aforementioned operating conditions include conditions relating to the procedure of the operation and conditions relating to the time of the operation.

3. The molding support apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the situation relating to the procedure of the operation includes a situation in which a specific operation is performed repeatedly and a situation in which a specific operation and a specific operation are performed in the wrong order.

4. The molding support apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the output unit outputs the advice information regarding operations other than the specific operation when the situation regarding the procedure of the operation is a situation in which the specific operation is being performed repeatedly.

5. The molding support apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, in the case where the specific operation is an operation to change the setting value of a specific setting item, the advice information is information regarding the existence of other setting items other than the specific setting item.

6. The molding support apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, in the case where the specific operation is an operation to change the setting value of a specific setting item, the advice information is information regarding the effect of changing the setting value of a setting item other than the specific setting item.

7. The molding support apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the circumstances relating to the time of the aforementioned operations include a situation in which the time required for or that has been required for a particular operation exceeds a standard, and a situation in which the time required from one particular operation to another exceeds a standard.

8. The molding support apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the output unit outputs the advice information regarding defects in the specific operation when the circumstances regarding the time required for the operation are such that the time required for the specific operation exceeds a standard.

9. The molding support apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, when the specific operation is an operation to set a setting value for a specific setting item, the advice information is information regarding an error in the procedure for setting the setting value for the specific setting item, or an excess or deficiency of setting items in the specific setting item.

10. The molding support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output unit outputs the advice information that provides added value to the operator when the operation is neither a situation in which a specific operation is being repeatedly performed nor a situation in which the time required for a specific operation exceeds a standard.

11. The molding support apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the advice information is information relating to functions not used by the operator, or to operations performed by the operator that were effective.

12. The molding support apparatus according to claims 3 to 11, wherein the aforementioned specific operation includes an operation to change the setting value of a specific setting item, a setup operation or an operation that constitutes said setup operation, and an operation performed between molding cycles when a defective product occurs.

13. The molding support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output unit outputs the advice information to resolve the confusion when the operating situation is presumed to indicate that the operator is confused.

14. The acquisition unit further acquires the details of the operation currently being performed by the operator on its device. The molding support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output unit outputs advice information that further provides advice according to the operation content acquired by the acquisition unit.

15. The molding support apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the output unit outputs the operation content or the advice information regarding the currently occurring phenomenon estimated from the operation content.

16. An acquisition unit that acquires advice information to provide advice to the operator based on the current operation status of the device, An output unit that outputs the advice information acquired by the acquisition unit, A molding support device equipped with the following features.

17. An acquisition unit that acquires the operation status of the operation currently being performed by the operator on the device, An output unit outputs advice information that provides advice according to the operation status acquired by the acquisition unit, A molding support system equipped with the following features.

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